Using the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) researchers analysed how many times a film had been cited in other films. The study considers all American films made before 2012 but films released in 1987 or later do not appear in their results as there are no films older than 25 years that refer to them, yet. Researchers say this repetition influences the 'lasting significance' of these films.

'We find that ultimately it is the creators, the filmmakers themselves, who will determine which movies are important, not the expert critics,' says study leader, Luís Amaral.

Based on their study, here's the 'top 10 most influential Hollywood movies ever made', along with some of their most famous moments.